1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a card mass storage device, a card transport, and a card storage device, as well as a method for sorting of cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
In one aspect, the invention relates to a card mass storage device having card holders disposed on a circulating card holder support that is movable in itself, or having a storage device, and having a card transfer for input of cards into the card mass storage device and for output of cards from the card mass storage device, such as these devices are disclosed, for example, in DE 100 36 715 A1.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a card transport having a conveyor section and having at least one storage device, as these devices are also disclosed, for example, in DE 100 36 715 A1.
The invention also relates to a card storage device having multiple addressable card holders.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for sorting of cards, which preferably pass through a conveyor section, using a storage device that has multiple card spaces.
Sorting of cards and corresponding storage devices are also known from US 2002/0017481 A1, whereby here, playing cards are sorted accordingly, and then output as a stack of playing cards, so that ultimately, precise allocation of the cards is lost, which is ultimately unimportant for playing cards or stacks of playing cards.
WO 98/35324 A1 also discloses a sorting apparatus; however, this apparatus is for sorting of paper money. Here, too, the precise allocation of the bills is lost upon output because ultimately, the sequence in which specific bills are output is unimportant to a customer or in a till, particularly if they have the same value.
In connection with the present description, it should be emphasized that in particular, debit cards, credit cards or similar cards are used as cards. Likewise, SIM cards or chips, particularly telephone chips, can be married to card media accordingly, as cards. In this regard, in the present connection, the term “cards” particularly comprises planar bodies, inherently rigid in themselves, which are not larger than 10 by 10 cm. In the case of such cards, which generally contain personalized data, it is particularly important that these can be allocated correctly, so that the protection of personal data can be guaranteed to the greatest possible extent.